Tributes have been paid to Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins, who was found dead at his Belfast apartment yesterday.
The Belfast native was diagnosed with throat cancer more than ten years ago.
Mr Higgins, 61, twice won the World Snooker Championship, first in 1972 and again in 1982.
He was a highly controversial and volatile figure, threatening on one occasion to have a fellow player from Northern Ireland, Denis Taylor, shot.
Mr Taylor, who won the World Championship in 1985, forgave him and said he was very sad to learn of Mr Higgins's death.
Mr Taylor told the BBC: ‘I don't think you'll ever, ever see another player in the game of snooker like the great Alex Higgins.’
And he said he had enjoyed some ‘terrific battles’ against the ‘Hurricane’, adding: ‘He was a very, very exciting player to watch. He just was totally unique.’
Another Former World Championship winner Steve Davis also paid tribute to his former rival.
Mr Davis said: ‘To people in the game he was a constant source of argument, he was a rebel. But to the wider public he was a breath of fresh air that drew them in to the game.
‘He was an inspiration to my generation to take the game up. I do not think his contribution to snooker can be underestimated.’
Snooker promoter Barry Hearn said Higgins would be remembered as the ‘original people's champion’ and the man who transformed the popularity of the sport.
Mr Hearn said: ‘I have known him for nearly 40 years. He was the major reason for snooker's popularity in the early days.
‘He was controversial at times, but he always played the game in the right spirit.
‘We will miss him - he was the original people's champion.’
